Re: [Paddlewise] Tangled Up In Blue & Solo Paddling

Robert Woodard wrote:
> 
> Ralph D wrote:


> 
> Interesting stuff Ralph. I would have thought getting in/out from a dock
> would be much more likely to tangle into a leash than getting in/out from
> shore. But somehow, I've managed to trip over or get tangled in my leash too
> many times to admit to.

No actually, a paddle leash holding the paddle on the dock is a nice
semi-tieup for your boat as you enter or exit it.  But you can't use
your paddle as a crutch behind you to help get into the boat.  That
technique, paddle behind you is a paddle killer.

> 
> Of course, the prudent thing for me would be to just remove it as I come
> close to shore. I also paddle with a Greenland stick and like Chuck, find
> the paddle leash does interfere with paddling, especially extended paddle
> strokes. On the other hand, when I really like to be able to just lay the
> paddle in the water while doing something else and not have to worry about
> it floating away.

Go Euro, not Greenland.  Leave the latter for the natives and wannabes. 
:-)

> 
> I also think you're more likely to paddle in rougher conditions than I do.
> I'm more likely to tether my paddle when paddling, say, the Chesapeake Bay
> than the upper Potomac river (which is 80% of my paddling). That's not to
> say I wouldn't be more likely than you to loose a paddle (I have once or
> twice), but that the conditions would be a bit more favorable for me to
> recover it by paddling with my hands or just grabbing half the spare on my
> rear deck to go get it.

I am a worry-wort and rather have the thing tied on always.  You never
know when it may slip away from you and not be so accessible to you. 
More importantly, if you were to go over and had the good sense to hang
on to your paddle, you also will have your boat.

> 
> After tripping over the blasted thing for about the third time getting out
> of the boat, I pretty much quite using it unless heading out in rougher
> conditions.

It depends on the boat.  Some are easier to exit than others and the
paddle leash will not get in the way in them.

> 
> How about those tethers what attach to your PFD? I've seen several people
> use those and it seems to eliminate the tangling when getting in/out, and I
> think it would be easier just to unclip it from your PFD once you get out.
> Any hazard that I'm not thinking about?

Like those that attach to your wrist, the tether to PFD may leave you
one day without a boat.  The tether of paddle with boat makes certain
that if you can hang on to one or the other you also have the other.

> 
> One final thought: My greatest fear is losing the kayak rather than the
> paddle. The boat has a spare paddle on the back deck, but I don't have a
> spare kayak if I get separated from it. That is why my interest in tethering
> oneself to the kayak. Up until this thread started I just *assumed* it was a
> very bad thing to do. I've practiced trying to get the kayak back after
> intentionally losing it (this wasn't one of my solo trips 8^). In light
> winds or mild current it is very hard to catch up to the kayak. I've even
> experimented with "paddling" with my paddle to try and catch up to the boat
> (a little faster than swimming, but *very* strenuous and I could only do it
> for a short length of time). But again, it didn't take much wind for the
> kayak to out run me. In practice I found the best thing was to immediately
> go after the kayak. Drop the paddle if you're holding on to it, you can
> probably swim for it much easier than the boat, so only go for it after you
> get the kayak back. The paddle will slow you down if you try to hold on to
> it while chasing the boat. Of course, you  have to worry only about the boat
> if your paddle is tethered to it.

Yeah, I had not thought of tethering oneself to one's boat.  This string
of postings has been an eyeopener in how many respected paddlers tether
them selves to their boats.

ralph diaz
-- 
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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